Policy headlines continue to grab attention, but the real impact to change mortgage policy rules and regulations will take time. In Richey May’s Q1 Mortgage Market Intelligence Briefing, Seth Sprague, CMB, along with Maria Fernandez, former senior associate director at the FHFA, and Jeremy Shiers, EVP and Mortgage President at West Gate Bank, move past the headlines to focus on what mortgage leaders should actually plan for now.
The panel discussed why recent executive orders signal a directional change rather than immediate operational change, with the actual changes to rulemaking likely 18–24 months out. While there is bipartisan support to address housing affordability, the Federal Government’s actual influence is more limited and much of the housing regulation is at the state and local level. The group also flagged potential emerging risks from the Agencies shift to actual cash value coverage for condo roofs—lowering premiums today but potentially driving higher HOA assessments and servicing strain after disasters.
The proposed Basel III capital changes offer relief for community banks under CBLR, but without MSR riskweight relief, larger banks are unlikely to reenter servicing in force. The discussion closed with one of the most immediate affordability levers available, the removal of the temporary 10 bps Gfee addon, which could deliver durable rate relief without sparking another refi wave.
For mortgage executives navigating capital strategy, servicing economics, and longterm growth, this briefing offers pragmatic insight grounded in policy, market realities, and lender experience.
Watch the webinar recording to hear the full discussion and takeaways.
